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Rhapsodies of Lilies I Have Loved
77
Cut flowers! I'm a sucker for them!! I can't resist them and I'm a bit partial to lilies. All kinds and colors of lilies dazzle and delight me!
I'll let the flowers speak mostly for themselves. You'll see that they "live with me". Including some from some pervious years when my flowers always cheered George. Lilies are not the only flowers I favor, but among my most favored!
In various combinations over the years, they've graced my table and brightened my view.
Up close and personal
They work to please!
They quietly grace the space with their loveliness and improve its quality!
Orange lilies and spider poms
I move older bouquets to secondary locations and keep them trimmed and fed. The roses back there on the other table are still lovely here but have been demoted to "second banana" to a newer bunch. Sometimes they're down to only a blossom and may grace my kitchen window siill in a small vase for the remainder of its life! Sometimes I "build" a lily in a small vase with only dropped petals.
What's so amazng as flowers as they're going through their brief life's steps?
Love how the light caught the pink lilies!
Pretty pink in pink ~ ~
I'm fascinated with light play on any scenario ~
Filtered light. . .
Breathtaking!
Mingling with things which enrich. . .
Pink lilies and tulips
Some of these bouquets were captured by my camera back six years or so~ ~ ~ ~
My delight
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
So lovely!
Pink lilies and friends
Spring colors - I'm a "spring"!
♥Hope it's fun for you to share these floral memories with me!
Life blooms open and lasts a magnificent short while.
Accent color,
Counter-point
You arose
To pose
A contrast
In my life!
______© Nellieanna H. Hay
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
All photographs are copyrighted by Nellieanna Hay unless otherwise indicated.
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Nellieanna,
Your artist's eye and poet's use of words have created a beautiful hub. The way you have arranged the flowers, and the light that is then captured, would have my wife reaching for her easel and paints immediately. I'll share these with her.
As always, a picture of grace, thank you.
Chris
Gorgeous...you just ooze creativity Nellieanna.
Oh Nellieanna - so beautiful. I try to keep some cut flowers around all year just for the color and the joy. You have taken it all to a whole new level. I particularly loved the orange lilies with spider poms.
Lovely collection of photos of one of my favourite flowers. Thank you Nellieanna.
B-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l. Awesome. No words can truly describe the beauty of a lily or any other flower. Thanks for sharing this awesome pictures, Nellianna. I think it is high time for me to stop my stinginess and laziness and follow your example and keep fresh flowers always in my house. I know the soul-enriching benefits! Hugs from me to you.
Wonderful pictures, especiall the one at the top....
Your Hubs are always a moment of tranquity in a Mad World.
Just been out shopping desperately trying to avoid being killed by all those rushing to get ready for a day of "Peace, Love and Goodwill to All Men !"
Long may you Reign....
Nellieanna,you have garden of taste and insight.;)
Beautiful, absolutely beautiful, Nellieanna. And I'm not talking about just the lilies! :) Happy Holidays!
Chris L. - I should be reaching for my easel and paints myself. I'd love it if she would paint some of my flowers and share her work with us! I truly appreciate your complimentary comments and great good humor! You're always a delight.
Jane -wow -thank you! I was so inspired to share lilies. These white ones I'm enjoying right now are truly gorgeous. Today they are even more profuse. It was only 6 stems but it''s a cloud of white blossoms and all the buds haven't even opened and none of the opened ones is withered yet.
But that is one great thing about lilies. They open gradually so that even when some are gone-bye-bye there are more opening up for a couple of weeks at least. Even their greenery is pretty, so as long as one or two blooms is intact, the bouquet remains stilli viable.
I know someone who discards a whole bouquet the moment one bloom starts to droop. It breaks my heart!
Minnesota Twin - Thank you. I love those lovely reminders of floral life, too. There are animations taking the flowers on to their demise, as well and even as they wither, there is a kind of beauty. But I thought wintertime was not the ideal season to watch that. I almost mourn my flowers when they are almost gone. I wrote a poem about it:
A flower
Cannot be admired
For durability,
So life provides
Fresh flowers
For their true admirers.
______© Nellieanna H. Hay
in fact life provides fresh life every moment!
Suziecat - thank you, kindred spirit! I started bringing cut flowers home from the grocery store when we had house guests in 2004 and it was such a pleasure, I've done it ever since. The prices are still reasonable, though they went up from 3 bunches for $10 to 3 for $15, with dozen roses under $10. Even when I think I'll skip them, when I walk in the door and see them, I'm hooked if I'm running out. I begin to think of them as cheaper than medicine and part of my fresh produce diet. LOL. They really are amazingly uplifting and I don't take prescription medicine and very little OTC! So it must be working. I've had so many kinds of bouquets. When I was looking through my pix for lilies, I was swept away with such an array of blossoms. I used to double up on them more than I do now that I'm just me. My George loved them too. He was and Engineer so he always looked for the practical in things.- He would tell me I should be a florist. I'd tell him not to try to put me to work! LOL
Thank you so much!
christopheranton - sweet person - thank YOU! My pleasure to share! So we share a love of lilies, too. wow! Fantastic. I'm proud to have things in common with you.
Martie - Yes - you deserve fresh flowers all the time. Read what I wrote to Suziecat about that. They truly are a health-aid, as well as an aesthetic one - eye-candy. Such a joy to have around. Glad you enjoyed! - Yes, they do speak for themselves! :-))
Very nice; good photography. You are an artist in a myriad of ways. Happy holidays.
Merlin - thank you, oh-knight-in-shining-armour!
Ah, yes - It does seem like a Mad World if one really notices it all. But it always provides a choice of what to notice & focus upon, so sometimes it is well to keep some reminders of better parts nearby on which to focus regularly to relieve the .
I did a lot of my spontaneous gift shopping at Walgreen's when I went there just to get some Sportscream for my shoulder which suffered when I tripped and fell on it. It's nothing serious, but not comfortable - especially since it's my mouse arm side . hehe.
I confess that I'm not spending a lot this year. So the little things found at Walgreens fill a lot of slots on my list. Having witnessed young kids on Christmas mornings, I'm aware they are not into costs and their parents give them the big "want" things anyway, even if they must cut out meat from the diet for months following the day. The things I got for gifts there are interesting; probably things they wouldn't get from others. For people for whom I want to give more memorable gifts, I've ordered online or noticed things during the year when I saw something which suits.
At times I wonder why not just tell folks not to send gifts but to spend whatever they'd have spent on presents and buy themselves what they really want, especially any who distribute a "want" list and request one's own want list to shop from. I can never ask for a gift. It goes against my grain. I'm into spontaneity in gifting & dislike shopping as an activity any time but especially if with rude crowds & even some rude salesfolk. It's become too far from the meaning of the season to suit me.
But it's traditional & I suppose most of us have poignant memories of Christmases past to fill our hearts. When the giving spirit is real, it almost surpasses one's belief system & expresses it on a deeper level. What is real will reign no matter what we do or don't believe, after all. ;-> Thanks for your good comments!
Mentalist - thank you - that is such a lovely compliment! You are most kind and I value your comments!
drbj - what a generous compliment, dear lady! I honestly prefer my own makeup technique, but theirs was OK (and free) and the store setting for their free photo was lovely! :-))
I'm really pleased you enjoyed the hub! I treasure your good opinion!
Doug - thank you so much! My late husband was a true photographer who thought through his shots. Not I. I "see" it and snap. But results sometimes do surprise me and I do work with digital effects a bit. My mother, an artist, talked about "the eye of the artist". I suppose it can be an instinctive thing, as many art forms are. Happy holidays to you as well!
That Glorious smell! I am with you in this preference of yours. is it true that they last longer if you put sugar in their water? :-)
Dear Nellianna,
I've read much of your work here and among the comments throughout hubpages and I just love the glow that you share in every thought ~ even when you are all worked up! *smile*
I enjoyed the art shared here! I planted lilies around our place two summers ago and love to see them bloom. It is cathartic when it's time to water!
Thank you for sharing!
~Scarlett
Dimitris -- thank you - and welcome back! Lilies do give so much pleasure!
Where I buy the flowers, their florist department always includes a packet of cut flower food with each bunch of flowers. Since I usually buy 2 o3 3 bunches for one vase, I have plenty of extra packets to use when I change water. So I've not needed to try sugar. Those packets may be partly sugar. But they do work and they dissolve easily in the cool water.
Here are a couple of links with recipes for making one's own flower food. They do contain sugar and pre-dissolve it with warm water, along with other ingredients. I can't personally recommend them but I would try them if I needed to make my own.:
Scarlett! Thank you! I appreciate your attention to my work here and on comments on others' hubs. I was amused how you described those. hehe.
I'm sure the lilies you've planted are delightful. For years we had volunteer pink lilies in various places in the back yard. They were so joyous. Not sure if they were planted. Some of them still try to come up but haven't' made it to bloom for awhile. I featured some on one of my webpages.
Wonder if "Scarlett My Dear" is from GWTW? ;-) Surely sounds as if. . .
My mom was a fan. I was born one, I guess. LOVED the book!
Ah. Thanks for the info, Scarlett. I saw the movie on its original round in 1939 when I was 7 and when it finally made it to Del Rio, Texas. LOL. It was a huge innovative movie then and my eldest sister looked like Vivien Leigh. It really had an effect on her life. She was 21 at the time. I read the book over and over during my teens. I have the DVD & watch it periodically. It's too good a movie to not love, though, of course, it depicts a way of llife which is unacceptable. But it is historic.
Ahhh Dear Lady, you have brought beauty into life again with your amazing lilies and your beautiful smile! I used to think lilies only for funerals, that is always what they reminded me of. Your pictures on beauty are stunning and they give me an entire new outlook on lilies!
Merry Christmas!
Blessings and hugs,
Laurie
Thank you LaurieDawn! I'm pleased that you enjoyed the lilies. I used to associate lilies with funerals too. But looking back, there was a certain kind - or kinds - which seemed to belong at funerals. There are so many varieties, and most of them are perky and lively in their serene and elegant ways. Water lilies, or lotuses, for instance. But the ones I find available in so many colors are these "oriental" lily types - or the volunteers that come up in my back yard.
So - yes! They do lend a lot of beauty to our lives! And I am really happy to share some of my pictures of those I've enjoyed - and some I'm enjoying right now!
Thank you so much!!
Merry Christmas to you as well!
Hugs - Nellieanna
Poetry in pictures! Lovely! :)
Aw-w-w-w~~~
Thank YOU FP! I appreciate that!! Hugs.
What a nice post.
I remember when I lived in Europe, fresh flowers were a must in every home, and very affordable. I miss that.
miss_jkim -Dear person! I'm not sure where you live now, but fresh flowers in the grocery stores here in the US (or at least in my Texas) are very affordable. I would miss them too. But lovely silk flowers add a certain something too - or crystal ones, even. There is something about the LOOK of flowers that is uplifting, don't you think?
Thanks for the visit to the hub. Glad you liked it. I like your stained glass profile picture. I love stained glass! It's an unfulfilled desire of mine - to create stained glass!
Thank you for cheering me up with these wonderful flowers. Especially now in the winter, flowers look so beautiful
You couldn't have chosen a prettier flower the Lily, comes in so many vibrant colors. Your arrangements here were spectacular. Beautiful arrangements and pictures to show to all of us here at the hubs.
You have the artist touch my dear Nellieanna. Like your poetry and paintings your choice of flower is very artistic as well. I can smell them on my smelavision lap top, he he he..Yummy.
hello, hello - yes - they are cheerful, aren't' they? Any time of the year but especially when the trees are bare and the north wind blows. It's still off and on cold here in Dallas but seems that weekends are when it's on-winter. Monday is forecast to be back in the 70s F ! It's 34F now but dry and sunny. Has dipped below 32 freezing this morning. The weather map shows a lot of 20s just west of here. Will reach a high of 52 this afternoon.
There are lots of trees which stay green all winter. My magnolia does. But most of the other trees are nearly bare now, thanks to some hefty winds. Texas weather is infamous for its unpredictability though. They say if you don't like the weather at the time, just wait a few minutes - it will change! LOL
Thanks for visiting my visual hub. I enjoyed featuring some of my lilies I've loved!
He he -smelavision - that's cute, Ken. I must admit that there are some lilies whose smells are too overwhelming. I usually smell them before buying to be sure they're not too strong. The reason the white ones now aren't on the big round coffee table right in front of where I sit with my laptop and are across the room is that they're some with that strong smell None of the buds had opened when I bought them and usually the solid colored ones are OK. They still are a joy to behold and the white cheers a darker corner of my den. It's a large room so they're far away enough to be "just right" smell-wise.
Thank you for the nice compliments. It's hard to find any flowers which aren't artistic, really. I love them all but lilies are certainly among the most favorites. I'm a sucker for flowers!
Lovely! The comfort that they bring is something like living poetry and an embrace when one walks into a room. The pink lilies with tulips reminds me of pure joy. Thank you for this beautiful hub :)
These are gorgeous. The pink ones under the sub-head "pink lilies and friends" and the purple ones near the top are my favorite, although, as I whipped up to get the sub-head, I was like, OH, and that one too the whole way up lol. Loved the picture of George on the table. That's awesome, and sweet. Like your smile. Just a really awesome photo-hub.
I must confess I am not a fan of cut flowers.Preferring to see them in their natural surroundings.Yet one cannot but appreciate how your photography manage to capture their vibrant colors and they are so pleasant to look at. But look closer still and you will be rewarded with a symphony of concord and harmony. Arrangement only a poet's eyes and hands can capture. Happy holidays Nellieanna.
Alexandra, thank you! I'm thrilled that you like it and felt comforted. I love tulips too. They're my ranch's logo, reflecting The Flying Dutchman. :-) Hugs.
Thank you so much, Shades! I feel that way about reviewing bouquets. Every one is a "favorite".
The white ones I have o the table with George's picture are still pretty, believe it or not. I brought them home 10 days ago. This morning I trimmed the stems, disposed of a few wilted petals and leaves, put them in fresh water with a new pack of "food" and they are like new. That's part of the fun of flowers to me.
SilentReed, I understand & agree that there is wondrous beauty in flowers in their natural settings. I love wildflowers, cactus in bloom and well-planned gardens, although I'm also known for gathering & making arrangements of wildflowers, grasses, twigs & leaves found in the wild. I guess it's part of my being.
I have the desire to grow flowers but not a lot of ability for it. My mother was a wonder at growing anyting, a true "green thumb". Some of my fondest memories are of her flowers growing in the yard, in pots, climbing up the walls.
I love flowers but happen to be better at arranging cut flowers and using various kinds and colors in a variety of vases to create living art works. You would not believe how diligent I am about keeping them going and enjoying every little last bit of blossoms & greenery.
I certainly do see and appreciate the feeling they give of almost musical harmony as they grace the space they're in. My lifestyle is fairly quiet so they add to the sense of fun, too. And ever changing.
What a beautiful collection of photos and the amazing treasure you've been blessed to enjoy! I adore flowers and very much enjoyed your lillies, thank you for sharing. By the way, the photo of you is just as beautiful as all the wonderous and magical flowers, good company! Love, Peace and Joy, Katie :)
Thank you, Katie! I do love the flowers. I didn't get any this week. There were no lilies in the selection bins and the others there just didn't grab me. They usually get new flowers on Wednesdays and I like to see what they have the next day after they've put the new ones out. But this past Thursday -well - I suppose it has to do with end of the year accounting or something. It will make me appreciate them all the more, I think, when they do get them.
Thank you for the lovely compliments! You are too kind! Hugs.
I love lilies too. I have an oriental lily that blooms near the front door every summer and the aroma is unbelievable. A wonderful thing to come home to. Your first picture was great. You and the lily exactly match. You are a lily, Nellieanna! Happy New Year!
Oh - thank you, Dolores! They are amazingly lovely flowers. I can imagine having one by your front door. The ones that have bloomed so prolifically in my back yard have been tapering off. They come up but the blooming is not so profuse. But they've been doing it so many years, I suppose eventually they "run out". Thank you for the very flattering comparison of me with a lily!
Candy for the eyes and nose, Nellieanna. Your arrangements and photos are lovely and done with as much craft as your poems. Your portrait places you among and as one with your lovely lillies and captures the joy which is your life. The video fleur de lillies is brilliantly accompanied by piano. This Hub is a joy to behold! Thank you and may you continue to prosper in the New Year. Cheers.
sligobay, dear man - thank you. How pleasant to find one of my older hub visited and appreciated! And thank you for the good wishes for this new year. I'm certainly intending it to be another good one and having dear friends cheering me on is a big plus! May yours be good, as wel!, and may it be sweetened with abundant candy for the senses!
You are an amazing woman Anne. What is your secret to your continuing youth and vitality? That is what I want to see you write about in addition to all your wonderful prose and poetry.
Wow! Thank you, sweet Lilleyth! Let me mention that I prefer to not be called any form of Ann. Thank you.
I talk about staying vital and healthy in a lot of comments I post. Perhaps I should write a hub about it. Generally I talk about it when it's 'brought up' or fits in to what's being discussed, so purposely setting out to write a "how-to" kind of piece about it just never seems to happen.
But if I were to boil it down to a few things, attitude would be #1, including staying interested in PEOPLE & LIFE and its fantastic privileges. I avoid negative negativity, but I'm an optimistic realist & a realistic optimist, so facing things responsibly promotes good attitude & dogged determination and refusal to give in to every little downer helps, also. If something bothers me, I look at what I can fix to improve it, correct those things & don't expect others to change to suit me. First response is to look for natural prevention and remedies for many of the things that seem to bring people down and age them.
I didn't drive till I was 40 so I'm a strong walker & stay very active. Living in a 2-story house which I care for provides exercise, & I try to use every action as exercise by doing it with good posture and use of muscles. I don't give myself a lot of excuses for being sloppy -- especially not old age. haha.
I eat LOTS of FRESH fruit and veggies (near to the way nature makes them as possible), avoid most processed foods and all soft drinks, but drink plenty of water. I enjoy a glass of wine but when I drink, it's the mild types in moderation. I've only ever smoked that once when I was 12 and immediately knew it wasn't for me. I take no regular prescriptions. And mostly, I focus on the bigger picture than myself. I aim to live well till at least 100. ;-)
ps - I clean my face with dairy whipping cream, followed by lots of clear water and dry vigorously with a clean white terry cloth. Then 'I baste it' with a generous amount of lanolin & also moisturize my body skin. Skin care is essential but in fact, I use a minimum of commercial skin care products. Occasionally I'll use sunscreen but my first protection is minimum exposure to U-V rays.
Nellieanna - What a lovely array of lilies. They are breathtakingly beautiful. I had the great fortune to live in Greece for three years (Glyfada, about 30 minutes from Athens) when I was young and our house was enclosed by a low stone wall. Just inside the wall at the front of the property was this bountiful bank of tiger lilies. I fell in love with them then and they are still one of my favorites today.
Interestingly, most of my life I did not consider myself a flower person. One, I have a black thumb - all my flowers die, although I am not bad with vines and trees. Two, my husband always gave me what I valued the most, good books, rather than flowers. :)
But as I approached my mid forties and had more time (my husband left to pursue a different life and my three sons were about to leave the proverbial nest as well) to contemplate color and design, to appreciate art and nature ....I discovered that I am indeed entranced by flowers.
Now I am still not a "flower" person. Not all flowers appeal to me or as my maternal grandmother would have said, "Well, you certainly aren't picky, but you are quite particular." It was a compliment of sorts. :)
I also noticed and appreciate the vases, bowls, and containers in which you arranged your lilies. A pleasing variety of shapes and colors. I must have some of my Polish grandmother's DNA after all -- she was an extremely talented artist. I did not inherit her talent, but I seem to have inherited her artistic sensibilities. :)
I have wandered far afield (one of my vices or virtues, depending on one's point of view) when all I meant to do was tell you how much I enjoyed your lilies. Sitting through seemingly interminable meetings today, I will think of your lilies and smile. :)
Theresa! I'm delighted that you found my lilies and that we share a love for them! How wonderful to have lived in Greece. I'd love at least to visit there some day. I've a dear Hub friend who was born and grew up in Cyprus. He and his wife now live in England but dream of going back to live out their lives somewhere in the Greek Isles or nearby. I've been invited to visit when they do. Makes it worth staying healthy! :-)
I love your grandmother's description! I've always been OK with all kinds of foods, but find myself these days preferring simple things I fix at home, - mostly in the interest of knowing that what 'goes in' is of good quality and health-consciousness. Yesterday, after enjoying a lovely lunch with my friend at the Dallas Museum of Art, I pondered my attitude about some things on the menu and was asking myself "Am I becoming a 'picky eater'?" Now I'll just know that what I am is - particular! So much better sounding!
I've been focusing on live green plants for the last year or so. I'd been nurturing fresh cut flowers on my tables for about 7 years and felt a change would be good. The live plants provide oxygen which is good in the house when it must be closed up for heating and for cooling, both occurring here in Dallas.
Having the cut flowers was especially gratifying when George was alive and appreciated the flowers and my efforts at making their arrangements appealing. I do receive bouquets for special occasions, which delight me. My daughter sent me tulips for Mother's Day. Tulips have significance for me, since my ranch is named The Flying Dutchman and I use tulips for its logo. There are few flowers I don't like, though some more than others.
Arranging flowers! It is an expression of creativity; - you're so right. I've seemed to just do it naturally. Can't resist gathering wild flowers, grasses and weeds and making arrangements. Of course, with beautiful flowers, what's not to love? Perhaps growing up in a semi-desert area, encouraged my appreciation for growing things. As a child, I envisioned heaven as a green place! Many desert-dwelling plants are quite lovely. One must admire them for their spunk and creative ways to stay alive, too!
Never need to be concerned about wandering afield and talking/conversing here! Those are among my many vices/virtues, as well, which I surely overdo; but, heck, at this age - I make no apologies! It's just "what I DO!" :-) You're a joy! I'm pleased that the lilies will possibly lighten the tedium of your meetings!
Minnetonka Twin Level 7 Commenter 17 months ago
This was such a joy to see. In Minnesota it's about 5 degrees and the pictures of these beautiful flowers made me feel so happy. I really liked watching the time lapse on the flowers. Flowers do so much for the attitude. Thanks so much Nellieanna for sharing your love of flowers with us. You made my day friend:)